Argevollen episode 1 – Robots divekicking other robots

The nations of Herpyderp and Derpyherp who are at war. Herpyderp is a rich nation but the wealth is hoarded by the wealthy and doesn’t go to the poor. At least that’s what the war propaganda for Derpyherp claims, and that’s why the Derpyherp soldiers and their robots are trying to ‘liberate’ the people of Herpyderp. The battle is currently locked at the Great Wall of Herpyderp because apparently in this universe the ability to create fully functioning giant robots was invented before flight. Clearly this is a world with its priorities straight. Anyway, if the Mongols can get past the great wall without much difficulty, then it was only a matter of time before the armies of Derpyherp crash through the walls.

Our heroes are a small platoon from the nation of Herpyderp and are several miles away in the middle of the forest doing fuck all to help anybody. They’re ordered to defend the great wall whereupon our main character NASP (Naive Angry Stupid Protagonist) goes on a stupid lone mission to save some civilians. Then suddenly the unholy cauldron of mecha tropes that had been rather kind until now pours its goopy mess all over the story upon which our main character rescues a pretty girl by piloting a super powered mech and jump kicking another robot in the face.

I did actually like this, despite my sarcastic tone. I’m sorry, I’m just incapable of turning my natural sarcasm off, especially for something that plays mecha tropes as seriously as this did. While the setup is hardly original, at least our heroes aren’t attending some high school. Our hero is actually a soldier. A greenhorn soldier, but he has had actual giant robot piloting training. What’s promising is the writing is so far of a high standard. Characterisation comes across naturally in the dialogue and it flows well. People feel like people and talk like human beings. It’s not Infinite Ryvius or War in the Pocket levels, which is my high bar for writing in mecha anime lies, but it’s pretty close to the level in Code Geass which is still pretty good. There’s not an ounce of what some people like to call fanservice and what I like to call Stupid Anime Bullshit. At the moment in needs to distinguish itself from every other mecha anime ever, but so far I like what I’ve seen.

Argevollen has so far surprised me. Instead of rocketing through the standard mecha plot points like a ten-year-old on rollerskates, it actually took the time to introduce the characters, world build, and establish tension. WTF.

What also makes me hopeful about this show is that it hasn’t yet demonized the blue-uniformed soldiers of Derpyherp (I may eat these words later). There hasn’t been any ominous music or dastardly color schemes or evil-villain fashion choices like they did in [insert name of any Sunrise anime here]. In the one quick shot of the Derpyherpian command center, the equipment operators seemed…well, normal.

It’s highly likely that the green-unformed soldiers of Herpyderp are going to be the main protagonists, but the first episode has already established that Herpyderpia is not some paradise of liberty and equality. Instead of unicorns and rainbows, we got generals being dicks.

While I think it’s completely unrealistic to expect an even-handed LoGH-style portrayal of the war, I the first episode has let me hope. Even a 20% balance between the two sides would elevate Argevollen above the usual rote mecha-show-of-the-season.

I know it’s impossible to judge any show from its first episode but at this point, if it wasn’t for the basic world overview and terminology/neologisms, I’d be far more inclined to pick most mecha shows up around ep 3-4 to see if the show is actually going anywhere. Is changing the premise even just a little bit really so difficult?

Still, you have admire the cockiness & confidence in victory that the opposing side has, attacking with bright pink mechas. I don’t think they could have given a more blatant “F-you!”, beyond having the pilots get out & moon the people at the wall.